ThinkFast: September 13, 2007
ThinkFast: September 13, 2007
At a White House meeting this week, President Bush told Democratic leaders said he planned to “start doing some redeployment.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) immediately interjected: “No you’re not, Mr. President. … You’re just going back to the presurge level.”
Citing remarks about troop withdrawals by Gen. David Petraeus, “Democrats began a fresh campaign Wednesday to woo centrist Republicans on Iraq.” “Petraeus assured me that he favors continuing reductions beyond the pre-surge levels,” Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) said.
Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) blasted Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell yesterday for taking political orders from the White House. Harman ended her comments by saying, “Jane to Mike: please stop. You’re undermining the authority of your office.”
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is poised to reexamine “the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal in coming weeks.” Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) “issued letters to a range of Abramoff associates seeking information about his contacts with the White House.”
78 years: The life expectancy for Americans, according to new government figures from 2005. While the span is the longest in U.S. history, it is still “lower than the life span in more than three dozen other countries.”
16,306: Number of species “near extinction” according to the World Conservation Union, up from 16,118 last year. Experts attributed the jump in endangered species to habitat loss, climate change, and infectious diseases.
At a Senate hearing yesterday, lawmakers investigated the influx of toys from China with lead paint and other defects. The Washington Post writes that instead of showing contrition, Nancy Nord — the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission — “treated lawmakers as if they were impertinent children.”
“A carefully constructed compromise on a draft law governing Iraq’s rich oil fields, agreed to in February after months of arduous talks among Iraqi political groups, appears to have collapsed. The apparent breakdown comes just as Congress and the White House are struggling to find evidence that there is progress toward reconciliation and a functioning government.”
“A bomb ripped through a crowd of civilians at a public square in eastern Baghdad on Thursday,” shattering the calm on the first day of Ramadan — the Muslim month of fasting — and killing at least four people, Iraqi officials said.
And finally: On Monday, House members held candles to commemorate the 9/11 anniversary. All was “well and good” until House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) candle-card “caught on fire in the middle of her remarks. Ever the cool customer, the speaker threw it to the ground and stomped it out with her foot, never once breaking stride in her speech.” Rep. Steve Cohen’s (D-TN) candle-card also caught on fire. See pictures HERE.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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WOO HOO!!! Three more years here at TP : )
September 13th, 2007 at 9:06 amHere is something of interest.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:06 amhttp://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/053047.php
MORE BUSH SMOKE & MIRRORS, FOLKS! WHO DOES THIS EEJIT THINK HE’S FOOLING? GLAD PELOSI “OUTED” THIS CURRENT CHARADE.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:10 am#2 - (O)peration (I)raqi (L)iberation….
September 13th, 2007 at 9:10 amThere’s a HUGE boycott of his next PR stunt tonight. Settle in with a good movie instead. It will be hard to tell the difference between these two works of pure fiction.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:10 amFan Of Man: You’re spot on!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:11 amWhen Abramoff “sings” some more, Bush’s white house will fall like the House of Usher!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:12 amAt a White House meeting this week, President Bush told Democratic leaders said he planned to “start doing some redeployment.†House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) immediately interjected: “No you’re not, Mr. President. … You’re just going back to the presurge level.â€
Fantastic, Nancy. Way to state the obvious.
Now fscking do something about it. Let us know if you need a table.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:12 am“A carefully constructed compromise on a draft law governing Iraq’s rich oil fields, agreed to in February after months of arduous talks among Iraqi political groups, appears to have collapsed. The apparent breakdown comes just as Congress and the White House are struggling to find evidence that there is progress toward reconciliation and a functioning government.â€
We aren’t leaving anytime soon!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:14 amPetraeus assured me that he favors continuing reductions beyond the pre-surge levels,†Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) said.
Why is Betrayus assuring Congress of something he is not willing to tell the people of this country?
September 13th, 2007 at 9:14 amWhat did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
Here’s something you missed, TP…but don’t feel bad…apparently the rest of the MSM missed it as well.
Israel’s Syria ‘raid’ remains a mystery.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:14 am#1. Since you’ve been 75 for a few years now, shouldn’t you be dead already? Or is the three years of which you speak the length of your new trolling contract from the RNC?
September 13th, 2007 at 9:16 amAt a Senate hearing yesterday, lawmakers investigated the influx of toys from China with lead paint and other defects.
At this point we don’t have much to bargain with concerning China. They pretty much own this country right now thanks to George Bush and his financing his vanity war off the books. I’m willing to bet that China is dictating import terms to the US under the threat of calling in the debt we owe them. Thanks so much Mr. Bush for selling the US to China.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:17 amA carefully constructed compromise on a draft law governing Iraq’s rich oil fields, agreed to in February after months of arduous talks among Iraqi political groups, appears to have collapsed.
When is Bush finally going to accept the fact that Iraq is NOT going to turn over their oil profits to the United States? Once that fact sinks in his pea brain he might be willing to bring our soldiers home.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:19 amTP…you missed that it only took 13 hours for Humberto to grow from a tropical wave to a full-blown hurricane. Even CNN didn’t have enough time to get Anderson Cooper and wis raincoat down to the beach for the obligatory “jeez it’s windy and rainy” shot.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:19 am#11 here read this:
September 13th, 2007 at 9:22 amhttp://www.nytimes.com/ 2007/ 09/ 12/ world/ middleeast/ 12syria.html?_r=2&ref=world&oref=login&oref=slogin
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6993211.stm
Remind me never to shake hands with Bush.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:23 amYou’ll always be #1 in my book, Mr. President!!!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:24 amThat Pelosi is one cool customer.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:24 amAnd dumb. “reduce the number of troops” it’s planned.. “that’s not enough, do it more” Perhaps a little encouragement would help, perhaps a “that’s a good start mr. president, etc..”
September 13th, 2007 at 9:26 amAt a Senate hearing yesterday, lawmakers investigated the influx of toys from China with lead paint and other defects.
Its our own fault. We demand inexpensive crappy products to fill our landfills with and China is happy to oblige.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:26 amAs for the lead based paint, I find it to have a much more developed flavor than the non-leaded stuff. Eating non-leaded paint is like eating un-salted potato chips.
#17 - Holy cr@p… the Anbar “success” claims another victim.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:28 amAnd dumb. “reduce the number of troops†it’s planned.. “that’s not enough, do it more†Perhaps a little encouragement would help, perhaps a “that’s a good start mr. president, etc..â€
Comment by François — September 13, 2007 @ 9:26 am
Pelosi’s the dumb one? Because all the smart people know that all anyone has to do with GW is be polite and he’ll change his mind, apologize, and take a new direction.
Right. Pelosi’s the dumb one, not you.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:30 am#18 - “You’ll always be #1 in my book, Mr. President!!!” Comment by Jake D. — September 13, 2007 @ 9:24 am
#1 lying politician, #1 public public debt builder, #1 in butchering the English language. Need I go on?
Off Topic - Doing anything interesting this weekend? I’m having a “welcome back to the North East” party at my house!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:30 am————-
Yes TP, do all you can to make Pelosi look like she’s being tough.
The clearest case in history of the USA for impeachment and Pelosi won’t do it.
Yawn.
Remember, Congress is doing worse than GW.
————-
September 13th, 2007 at 9:31 am#20 - “Perhaps a little encouragement would help, perhaps a “that’s a good start mr. president, etc..— Comment by François — September 13, 2007 @ 9:26 am
When did Pres. Bush ever encourage any Democrat? When Pres. Bush is incapable of offering encouragement, he deserves none himself.
Practice what you preach.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:33 amThat is a horrible response. Be better than Bush, not like him.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:36 amJake D. sez:
A more eloquent condemnation simply could not be asked for.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:36 amHe’s reducing the number of troops.. It’s a freakin’ start. It is moronic to continue to criticize bush when he is starting to do what you want him to do.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:37 am“Perhaps a little encouragement would help, perhaps a “that’s a good start mr. president, etc..â€â€ Comment by François — September 13, 2007 @ 9:26 am
Bush needs encouragement from Pelosi? Very funny. In fact, it’s not a good start, Frankie. It’s inevitable, out of Bush’s hands. Unless he wants to start extending rotations to 18 months, there’s nothing he can do about allowing those 30,000 to finish their 15-month tours and come home.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:39 amFrançois sez:
No, François, it’s not. It’s a goddamn shell game, and we’re all getting sick of it.
Chimpy has no intention of withdrawing from Iraq…that should be clear even to you. Merely withdrawing the extra troops that were put in as part of the “surge” isn’t nearly good enough.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:41 amYeah, I was just waking you guys up this morning. Bush is such an idiot. This is not a reduction, this is simply ending the surge, and not really ending it, just letting these people not be redeployed to Iraq once their current tour of duty is finished. What a jerk, if he wanted to make some progress he’d start sending our boys home NOW. Screw those bastards over there, we need to let ‘em fight it out in their CIVIL WAR that we’re in the middle of.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:43 amHe’s reducing the number of troops.. It’s a freakin’ start. It is moronic to continue to criticize bush when he is starting to do what you want him to do.
Comment by François
Sorry Francois, he is not doing what we want him to do, he is doing what he has to do. As of next April he has three choices, 1) bring home the surge troops, 2) extend the deployments again from the 15 month extension already in place or 3) institute a draft. He knows that 2 and three are deal breakers for the US public and would totally destroy ANY support he has left for the occupation of Iraq.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:46 amAt a White House meeting this week, President Bush told Democratic leaders said he planned to “start doing some redeployment.†House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) immediately interjected: “No you’re not, Mr. President. … You’re just going back to the presurge level.â€
So Pelosi doesn’t want troop levels reduced?
September 13th, 2007 at 9:49 amtroqua sez:
Too true. Chimpy’s illegal and immoral occupation is once again hitting the wall. I really don’t think he’s going to be able to extend troop rotations to 18 months…extending it to 15 months was bad enough.
So, Chimpy is faced with three alternatives at this point:
1) Keep rotations at 15 months, and face the fact that there are not enough soldiers to continue the occupation.
2) Artificially inflate the number of available troops (again) by increasing the length of troop rotations to 18 months, and face the consequences of such a choice (fatally fatigues soldiers, morale at zero, and ever-increasing outrage here at home).
3) Start up the draft.
#1 (facing reality) just isn’t Chimpy’s style. #3 would produce such a backlash that even this administration would have to take notice. So, by process of elimination, it’s looking a lot like #2. After all, Chimpy has shown abundantly in the past that he doesn’t care a fig for our men and women in uniform, and as long as there’s no draft, public outrage will be manageable, which, to Chimpy, is synonymous with ‘unimportant’.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:52 amsqueege,
September 13th, 2007 at 9:53 amnot on Bush’s terms, no
Pelosi and all Democrats leaders supported the invasion of Iraq,except few.
Pelosi now claiming she is an ‘anti war Speaker’…
September 13th, 2007 at 9:53 amPelosi recently and under pressure from AIPAC she killed a resolution in the House calling on President to come to Congress before he starts any war with Iran..
Pelosi can’t have it both ways.
She became a speaker because of Democrats won the Congress..and Democrats won the Congress by promising to end this war in Iraq.
I’ve got the heebie jeebies this morning listening to the drumbeat grow louder over Iran. The language is eerily familiar.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:54 amSo sorry to hear the violence in Baghdad doesn’t even abate for the holy month of Ramadan. Sad, but not surprising.
Which reminds me: Today is the first day of Ramadan, which began last night here. To all my Muslim brethren — may you have a blessed Ramadan!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:54 amI think the number of US Military troops is one part of the equation, how about addressing the private contractor’s participation. Where’s the stooge that has all that info and budget numbers, projections, etc? I personally want to know what the hell is going to happen when Kurdistan becomes it’s own country and the lower part of Turkey takes a dump.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:56 amsqueege,
September 13th, 2007 at 9:57 amPelosi’s “leading” just two things: Jack and sh*t. And Jack left town.
“She became a speaker because of Democrats won the Congress..and Democrats won the Congress by promising to end this war in Iraq.”
Comment by tarazan — September 13, 2007 @ 9:53 am
Exactly right. I suspect Nancy’s priority is to increase the Dem majority in 2008, and she figures maintaining the unpopular status quo is the best way to do this. This is both sad and infuriating, since she is guilty of the same “party ahead of country” politics that the Republicans have been engaging in for years.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:58 amfly-man
I personally want to know what the hell is going to happen when Kurdistan becomes it’s own country
Turkey invades it.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:59 amComment by missmolly
September 13th, 2007 at 9:59 amIt’s also the start of Rosh Hashanah. No wonder they can’t get along. They’re bogarting each other’s holidays.
I guess Bush will have to edit his speech for tonight since two of the things he calls “progress” have been disrupted. The Shake of Anbar being murdered this morning and the total disintegration of the oil distribution plan. Other than the GAO report citing an increase in the number of deaths, what else can Chimpy claim to be progress?
September 13th, 2007 at 9:59 amWilco
Pelosi’s “leading†just two things: Jack and sh*t. And Jack left town.
Are all men from the future such loud mouth braggarts?
September 13th, 2007 at 10:00 ammissmolly: Madam Speaker Nancy is the single, worst disappointment for the american people. Either she was all hot air or someone’s gotten to her and is blackmailing her.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:00 amsqueege,
September 13th, 2007 at 10:00 amJust me, baby. Just me.
did you catch THIS?
that shit-eatin’ grin was maybe more like a kiss-of-death?
Iraqi insurgents kill key US ally
Abu Risha was celebrated by the US as a key opponent of al-Qaeda
September 13th, 2007 at 10:02 amA key Sunni ally of the US and Iraqi governments has been killed in a bomb attack in the city of Ramadi, Iraqi police and media say.
Abdul Sattar Abu Risha was the leader of an alliance of Sunni Arab tribes that rejected al-Qaeda because of its methods and worked with the US.
[…]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6993211.stm
.
It feels like Bush is caught in a tourniquette right now. He’s “caught” and is squirming his way out with half truths and mini lies. Cutting the troops = the same number as pre-surge. Who’s he trying to fool?
In Bush’s case, there’s no fool like a “old fool”. He’s aging one year with each passing month of his continued corruption, lies, and chicanery with the blood on his hands of everyone killed in his war for “OIL (operation Iraqi Liberation)! It would be just like this moron to put some nursery-rhymey type of moniker of a war operation. Where’s his deck of cards? Does anyone have a copy of the one he put himself on with bogus stats when he owned the Texas Rangers?
That should have told us plenty.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:03 amAfter all, wasn’t it just last week that he was quoted as saying in his “offically approved” biography that he intends to “continue PLAYING until October/November”? To this sadist, war is simply a “game”. Disgusting!
September 13th, 2007 at 10:04 amIsrael’s Syria ‘raid’ remains a mystery.
Comment by TripMaster Monkey
Just like their nukes…
September 13th, 2007 at 10:04 amKaty: Yes, caught it this morning. Evidently, it just occurred. Now what will Chimp say about the accomplishments in Anbar Province? His cronie-conman is gone.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:05 amOr perhaps Chimpya will choose to discuss the “progress” of the oil distribution plan which also tanked this morning??? Either way, he’s got absolutely nothing of value to proffer.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:06 amGood catch, katy. I just posted a link to that story at the Zoo and was about to do so here, but you beat me to it. :)
September 13th, 2007 at 10:06 amWhen françois attempts to make a point, I picture a sock puppet talking:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.adelaide.indymedia.org.au/usermedia/image/5/sock_puppet.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sanjayandjanna.blogspot.com/ 2006_05_01_archive.html&h=418&w=426&sz=35&hl=en&start=3&sig2=wA2ieg7C7eVrKvSFxxJVTA&tbnid=qXi8j7IKpwwD8M:&tbnh=124&tbnw=126&ei=2kPpRpWoEYjGeKK4wcYG&prev=/ images%3Fq%3Dsock%2Bpuppet%2Bwhite%2B%2B%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DG
September 13th, 2007 at 10:08 amsqueege, Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi are working on a remake of Evil Dead, if you hadn’t heard. Bruce isn’t starring and there will be no character named Ash.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:08 amJust a short story since this is the “open thread.”
I live near San Marcos, TX, a University of Texas town. College life encompasses everything about the town.
I drove in yesterday from the sticks to do some shopping, and I spotted an elderly woman, probably 65, sitting in a lawn chair on the sidewalk downtown, holding a “Honk to Impeach Bush and Cheney” sign. I happily honked. No one else was honking. So I honked a few more times. She waved, I waved
Then I started to wonder why she was out there alone. Not a single student from the campus with her.
I happen to be 58 (ugh), close to this woman’s age. Most people I know who are passionate about the war, most angry about Bush, are middle-aged and beyond.
Is it the experience of others here that for the most part, 20-somethings are not tuned into what’s been going on? Is it because there’s no threat of the draft?
Just ramblin’–
September 13th, 2007 at 10:09 amHis cronie-conman is gone.
Comment by razzle
I don’t think he was a Bush crony. From what I have read they tried to police their area and protect themselves. Meeting with Bush wasn’t smart to say the least but I doubt that he and the others have any warm and fuzzy feelings for Bush and the US.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:11 amThey just blipped Mr P off the other thread. Will it happen here too?
Summer’s over, dude. Time to quit wearing sun dresses.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:16 amComment by The Republic of Stupidity — September 13, 2007 @ 10:16 am
It already happened.
He criticized my sock puppet and TP wouldn’t stand for it.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:17 amThe only progress made in Iraq is that of al Qaeda. They’ve extended their franchise into Iraq. They weren’t there before the US invaded this sovereign nation of Iraq. Dubya is a war criminal and should be tried as one. We will not stand for this.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:17 ami see diet @ 9:23 am, got the first post on that story…
…
I’ve got the heebie jeebies this morning listening to the drumbeat grow louder over Iran. The language is eerily familiar.
Comment by troqua — September 13, 2007 @ 9:54 am
it’ll have to wait till matt lauer gets outta there…
did anyone catch his interview with a professor this morning?
lauer was spouting all the lying talking points about iran and that
guy set most of it straight… good job!
TP should find and post that clip…
September 13th, 2007 at 10:19 ami guess matt’s there all day, but i only watched those few minutes…
…
sopressata sam
He criticized my sock puppet and TP wouldn’t stand for it.
I thought it was a wonderful sock puppet. I was going to write it in next November.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:19 amIsrael’s Syria ‘raid’ remains a mystery.
Comment by TripMaster Monkey — September 13, 2007 @ 9:14 am
That’s just weird. The bombing sortie that everyone wants to pretend never happened - including the people who got bombed.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:22 amMy point is, this war is a sham. We can’t take it anymore. Bush needs to be impeached, thrown out of office, and tried as a war criminal.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:22 amKind of entertaining, no? Mr P posts, TP takes ‘em down, Mr P posts, TP takes ‘em down. Just a bit like watching a tennis match. Hey TP! Good for you! Yer gittin’ my respect back!
September 13th, 2007 at 10:23 amComment by toasterhead
Yeah, what the heck is with this?
September 13th, 2007 at 10:24 amDoes no one know why Isreal would do this?
The only progress made in Iraq is that of al Qaeda. They’ve extended their franchise into Iraq. They weren’t there before the US invaded this sovereign nation of Iraq.
Comment by François — September 13, 2007 @ 10:17 am
But they haven’t really made that much progress. They’ve got a few hundred fighters and some weak alliances but control no territory and are either despised or strongly distrusted by nearly every other group in Iraq. The only thing keeping them going is our continued presence.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:24 amtoasterhead sez:
Weird indeed, TH…add to this strange occurrence the presence of British troops on the Iranian border, the continued presence of U.S. naval forces in overwhelming quantities in the Persian Gulf, and, of course, the small fact that someone in the know is betting the farm on a massive market collapse by September 21st, and one can’t help but wonder…
September 13th, 2007 at 10:26 amComment by dlet — September 13, 2007 @ 9:23 am
You’re right, katy, dlet scooped us both. Good catch, dlet.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:27 amYeah, what the heck is with this?
Does no one know why Isreal would do this?
Comment by Wilco — September 13, 2007 @ 10:24 am
My guess - Israel took out someone or something the Asad government didn’t like, but couldn’t attack themselves because it would inflame certain parties within Syria. I don’t know enough about Syrian internal politics to speculate more deeply than that, but that’s what it smells like to me. Perhaps the back-channel relationship between Syria and Israel is much closer than the diplomatic one.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:30 amDoes no one know why Isreal would do this?
Comment by Wilco
It is in the scriptures: The Road to Damascus.
They are the chosen people…better not to ask questions. Yahweh might get mad.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:31 amYou’re right, katy, dlet scooped us both. Good catch, dlet.
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
Aw..shucks.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:31 amThere was no al qaeda in iraq before bush invaded. Bush is responsible for their expansion. Bush is directly responsible for the deaths of between 72000 and 78000 iraqi civillian deaths. He is a criminal and a murderer and should be put in jail for his crimes.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:32 amI can’t believe Israel would work on the behalf of Syria like that. And it’s to Isreal’s disadvantage, too.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:33 amI don’t get it, especially after their war with Lebanon. Why put youself in such jeopardy after your administration is already in such low esteem with the populace?
(not everyone is George Bush)
francois…you have to say it like you are convinced, not like you want to convince yourself.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:33 amJuan, you’re bias toward Jews is akin to the right’s bias toward Muslims
September 13th, 2007 at 10:34 amwow, I used “you’re” instead of “your”
September 13th, 2007 at 10:35 amI’m embarassed
“It’s also the start of Rosh Hashanah. No wonder they can’t get along. They’re bogarting each other’s holidays.”
Comment by Wilco — September 13, 2007 @ 9:59 am
I know you meant that as a joke (and I did chuckle), but it’s really coincidence that Rosh Hashanah and the start of Ramadan fell at the same time this year. The holidays are observances of different things (Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the Hebrew calendar year, and Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar — the month in which the Quran was revealed).
Muslim holidays will occasionally fall at the same time as Jewish and Christian holidays because of variances in the different calendars.
The Christian (or Gregorian) calendar is based on the solar year — 365 days, with adjustments of an extra day on leap years to keep it accurate. However, Easter and related holidays (Ash Wednesday, for example) are lunar based, and will appear on different dates in different years.
The Hebrew calendar is lunar based, but adjusted periodically to conform to a solar year. Twelve lunar months still fall short of a solar year by about 10 or 11 days. They add an extra month every two or three years to keep it in general synch with the solar year.
The Muslim calendar is lunar based, without regard to the solar year. Therefore, their year is about 10 or 11 days shorter than everybody else’s. Each year, Muslim holidays fall about 10 or 11 days earlier on the Gregorian calendar than they did the year before.
I only know about these three — sorry I can’t comment on the Chinese calendar.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:38 amI’m not trying to convince myself, or anyone else.. except maybe those idiotic conservative bastards who support bush and his war of terror. Bush is akin to Osama bin Laden. They’re both terrorists.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:38 am>You’ll always be #1 in my book, Mr. President!!!
>Comment by Jake D. — September 13, 2007 @ 9:24 am
That’s funny, in my book, he’ll always be a big steamy pile of #2.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:39 amSyria denies U.S. media reports on Israeli warplanes attack
Syria’s official media had reported that Syrian defense forces opened fire on Israeli aircraft after they flew over northern Syria and dropped ammunition on Sept. 6, saying no damage or casualty was caused in the incident.
As Israel was remaining silent on the alleged attack, Syria’s UN ambassador Bashar Ja’afari has complained to the United Nations on the Israeli violation of its airspace, sending letters to UN chief Ban Ki-moon and France’s UN ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, the UN Security Council’s current president.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/ english/ 2007-09/ 13/ content_6713923.htm
September 13th, 2007 at 10:39 amwilco, you also used “toward” instead of “against”,
which is what i’m guessing you meant…
but you’ve got it wrong about juan…
September 13th, 2007 at 10:40 amhe is biased against ANY oppressor.
and that’s probably not a fair statement on my part so I apologize.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:40 amBut there is bias toward the Jewish government, that’s clear; you based your response on some perceived belief that they can do whatever they want because they’re Jews.
Wilco…in which sense?
September 13th, 2007 at 10:41 amTP - Big Story:
September 13th, 2007 at 10:41 amAbu Risha murdered
The most prominent figure in a U.S.-backed revolt of Sunni sheiks against al-Qaida in Iraq was killed Thursday by a bomb planted near his home in Anbar province, 10 days after he met with President Bush, police and tribal leaders said. Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha was leader of the Anbar Salvation Council, also known as the Anbar Awakening — an alliance of clans backing the Iraqi government and U.S. forces.
missmolly, you made my head hurt
September 13th, 2007 at 10:41 amJuan, to which part are you referring?
September 13th, 2007 at 10:42 amDebkafile has several stories on the Israeli incursion into Syria. Always to be read with a bit of skepticism, but it appears it did happen.
In any case….
Shana Tova!
September 13th, 2007 at 10:43 amWilco, if I told you Im the chosen one because some holy scripture written by some folks I never met tells me that, and you tell, you are crazy, buddy…you will be right.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:44 amkaty, I believe one can show bias toward another, not just against.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:44 amJuan, I don’t believe that anyone should consider his/herself better than anyone else b/c of being “chosen ones.”
September 13th, 2007 at 10:47 amThe reference is simply because the biblical God chose to reveal himself to them, both as father and son.
So in that sense, yes, they are the chosen ones.
I really don’t care about that.
I just don’t believe that has anything to do with their foreign policy toward Syria.
Wilco, I can take the radical Muslim example and the Christian one… and you will be right.
We were talking about Israel, a Jewish state (which is a discriminating state, by the way. At least Saddam´s government was secular) whose excuse to oppress Palestinians has to do with their religious belief.
Yes, Im biased towards that kind of actions by governments.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:48 amFrançois sez:
September 13th, 2007 at 10:48 amYou’re off by a significant amount…
And if you’re defending your comment by using a biblical reference, please also find where in the OT it says it’s okay to attack Syria unprovoked.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:49 amJuan, all I was getting at is the reasonable justification for attacking Syria. Isreal does not have a history of attacking other countries because Deuteronomy says they can.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:51 amThey have done so with reasons (whether good or bad).
I am wondering what their reasoning is. I refuse to believe that it’s because they simply believe they can due to their religion.
missmolly…I learned something today. Thanks.
Wilco: I was mocking the chosen one status. I couldnt care less if they say they are sons of Jor-El.
Please watch a film made by a jewsih filmmaker named: Protocols of Zion.
It is a movie intended to dispell the myth that zionists were behind 9/11. It is an illustrative movie about the conflict between Arabs and Jewish…please listen to the arguments made by the 25 y/o jewish men that appear near the end of the movie. They really believe that…
Now, those are the extremists…I was mocking the extremists.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:53 amkaty, I believe one can show bias toward another, not just against.
Comment by Wilco — September 13, 2007 @ 10:44 am
you’re correct… duh… sorry…
September 13th, 2007 at 10:54 ambut the rest holds…
.
Juan, I would certainly hope you would care if they claimed to be sons of Jor-el. Then we’d have a nation of Supermen! They would be unstoppable!
September 13th, 2007 at 10:55 amWell, unless we blocked out the sun, or got some Kryptonite.
Juan C
Please watch a film made by a jewsih filmmaker named: Protocols of Zion.
Also, watch this film by a jewish film maker: ‘West Bank story’. Pretty good send up of some of the issues.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:57 amwow
September 13th, 2007 at 10:57 amp’s posts were deleted quick!
looks like TP is really moderating today
Wilco: Every war is made only with economic and geostrategic goals. Religion is the flavor intended to carry the sheeple along with the war. In every war, everybody claims so kind of superiority:
In Iraq, US population generally claims to be more “civilized”, you can read almost every troll, including Exley, answer to that issue.
In Palestine, Israel claims to be more “democratic”, “peaceful” and yes… superior because they are the chosen ones.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:58 amI should seriously begin doing proof reading.
September 13th, 2007 at 11:02 ammissmolly, you made my head hurt
Comment by Wilco — September 13, 2007 @ 10:41 am
oops — sorry about that. My friends often tell me the same thing. I tend to be an information nerd, and it’s a pain in the neck (or head) to others. My apologies! :-)
September 13th, 2007 at 11:04 amWow…Mr. Pee is so marginalized that he’s reduced to two-word posts.
I tried to warn you, Mr. Pee…
September 13th, 2007 at 11:08 amboy am i confused…
in one story, and from other news, i read:
Russian President Vladimir Putin dissolved parliament on Wednesday and nominated a little known ally, Viktor Zubkov, to be Russia’s new prime minister.
http://www.spiegel.de/ international/ world/ 0,1518,505560,00.html
in a NYtimes article about the new prime minister’s nomination
there is no mention of a “dissolved parliament”…
http://www.nytimes.com/ 2007/ 09/ 13/ world/ europe/ 13cnd-russia.html?ref=world
also sounds as if putin may be thinking of NOT stepping down…
hmmm… hope dubby isn’t paying attention to any of that…
September 13th, 2007 at 11:14 am…
Comment by missmolly — September 13, 2007 @ 10:38 am
Thank you, missmolly. That was very informative. I like learning stuff like that.
September 13th, 2007 at 11:24 amWith Jewish and Muslim high holidays starting today (or last night, as it where, crazy Jewish days starting at night, I mean really…) I wonder why google has instead chosen to change the icon to celebrate Roald Dahl’s birthday.
September 13th, 2007 at 11:53 am#29 the number of troops is not being reduced because the president wants to begin drawing down our forces. The number of troops will be reduced because the JCOS said a long time ago that they would only be able to keep the additional troops in the field for 15 months or so. That would keep them there till late next spring early next summer regardless of what the president has to say.
But let me look at this from another angle. If the “surge” is working and drawing down the troops is a result of this success. I say why stop there? Why not keep the success going? Also isn’t announcing to our enemies a timetable for our leaving supposed to be a bad thing?
Jake…is the president #1 in your book of a$$wholes?
September 13th, 2007 at 11:53 amPelosi is well aware that our presnit is a liar. In this case, she appears to call him on it. Period. Now she will write letters.
Being awar that the president is lying and carrying on as if he were not, is just absurd. But that is what she is doing. Sound bites. They probably hugged after this.
I have little respect for this Pelosi woman. She is allowing a man who she knows is lying, to continue on the path to the destruction of America. Hey, but she might get elected again. Game playing folks. It is what they do best in the beltway.
Have a glass of your family wine, Pelosi. Make you feel better?
September 13th, 2007 at 12:17 pmHave a glass of your family wine, Pelosi. Make you feel better?
Comment by no name — September 13, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
As long as the Dem majority is as slim as it is in both houses, there’s simply no chance impeachment will go. Really.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:32 pmThe Republic of Stupidity sez:
The Democratic majority is sufficient in the House to initiate impeachment proceedings, which in turn would force a lot of evidence against this corrupt and criminal administration out into the open. While it’s not at all likely that the almost-equally divided Senate would ever return a guilty verdict against Chimpy or Deadeye, the evidence would still be available. At the very least, it should stop them from continuing their traitorous ways.
By not even trying to initiate impeachment proceedings…by declaring unilaterally that “impeachment is off the table”, Pelosi has demonstrated which side she stands on. By failing to attempt to check this runaway traitorous administration, she shows herself to be willingly complicit in their monstrous crimes.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:44 pmMark:
No.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:31 pmCrap, I missed the Army of Darkness/Evil Dead fan fest this morning.
Squeegee, well hello Mr Fancy Pants!
September 13th, 2007 at 2:41 pmActually, Caption Contest:
Pelosi: “Well hello, Mr Fancy Pants!”
September 13th, 2007 at 3:01 pmWhen is Bush finally going to accept the fact that Iraq is NOT going to turn over their oil profits to the United States? Once that fact sinks in his pea brain he might be willing to bring our soldiers home.
Comment by bilbogaggins
haha we neever asked for any oil profits you troll
September 13th, 2007 at 11:45 pmThe Democratic majority is sufficient in the House to initiate impeachment proceedings, which in turn would force a lot of evidence against this corrupt and criminal administration out into the open. While it’s not at all likely that the almost-equally divided Senate would ever return a guilty verdict against Chimpy or Deadeye, the evidence would still be available. At the very least, it should stop them from continuing their traitorous ways.
the dem party are pussies because they know if they impeach during a war they will lose big time in the next election- if you dont beleieve me, just see what dem frontrunners say about impeachment
September 13th, 2007 at 11:47 pmPelosi is a limosine lib- did you know she wont allow union workers in her husbands hotels in ca? not what most DFLers agree with, she dont give a crap about the ave joe
September 13th, 2007 at 11:50 pmI wonder if Waxman will launch an investigation into his own party for this criminal activity from one of it’s biggest donors.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_6884611
“Hsu has contributed more than $600,000 in the past three years to political campaigns and did fundraising for candidates, including U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, a candidate for a Senate seat from Colorado.
Those candidates have since given Hsu’s contributions to charities”
Could someone please explain why the candidates listed above accepted money from Hsu eventhough they CLAIMED not to know about his felony conviction in 1992 and are acting suprised about his “fugitive” status? Especially the Clinton campaign who warned in private about Hsu this past June, but just now she has decided to give the money she received from him away.
http://www.hillaryproject.com/ index.php?/ en/ story-details/ hillary_was_warned_about_hsu_back_in_june/
September 14th, 2007 at 12:47 am